1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera capable of changing over the size of a photographing frame thereof, and more particularly to a camera capable of changing over a size of the photographing frame by selecting a desired exposure frame size thereof at a time of taking a photograph.
2. Related Background Art
As is well known, a variety of cameras capable of changing over the photographing frame size thereof have been suggested. For example, there has been a known camera adapted to a rolled film (JIS135 film) having a width of 35 mm and capable of selecting, at the time of loading a film, a large exposure frame size of a standard size of 36 mm.times.24 mm called a Leica size or a small exposure frame size of 18 mm.times.24 mm called a half size.
Recently, a camera has been provided that uses the foregoing rolled film having a width of 35 mm and capable of arbitrarily selecting a full-size exposure frame of 36 mm.times.24 mm or a smaller size, for example, a panorama frame size of 36 mm.times.13 mm which is a laterally-elongated size at the time of taking a photograph after the film has been loaded from an outer surface of the camera.
Also the applicant of the present invention has suggested a photographing frame changing over mechanism between the full size and the panorama size in U.S. Ser. No. 07/814,414, filed Dec. 23, 1991, and Japanese Laid-open Patent Application serial No. Hei-4-84065/1992. The foregoing mechanisms have an arrangement that a masking member for restricting the exposure frame size is disposed between the aperture in the camera body and the photographing lens, and the masking member is operated by a ring linked to an operation member so that the change over between the full size and the panorama size is performed. Another technical means has been disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Application 1991 (Hei/3)-84821 which disclosed a camera capable of changing over between standard photography and panorama photography and having an arrangement that a light-shielding member is moved to a panorama photographing position at the time of the movement of the photographing lens to the collapsed position.
The technical means disclosed in U.S. Ser. No. 07/814,414 and Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application 1992 (Hei/4)-84065 has the arrangement that the changing over means comprising the masking member is disposed between the aperture in the camera body and the photographing lens, causing a problem to arise in that the size of the camera cannot be reduced, it is difficult to secure the space for it, and the design cannot be made freely. Also the technical means disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Application 1991 (Hei/3)-84821 encounters the problem of providing a structure which is too complicated and which presents difficulty in reducing the size.
Furthermore, the arrangement of the foregoing prior art that the changing means is included in the camera body without exception arises a necessity of individually manufacturing the cameras capable of changing over the photography mode to select the panorama size and cameras adapted to only the standard photography. Therefore, the manufacturing process increases, which causes the cost to be enlarged.